A Night off
by Neon Blue Fox
Summary: A light on plot (compared to my other fics) Story that is Liam dealing with stress by taking a night off. Slightly AU


Disclaimer: I don't own them I never claimed to please don't sue me. Really the Characters and concepts of Earth Final Conflict belong to the nice people who make this really great show. I'm just borrowing them for my own and perhaps the amusement of other fans. I'm not making a dime off this and suing me would be a real waste of time because I'm flat broke.

Note: This is an AU Fic set sometime in Season Three This is set just after the Cloister. It is AU in the fact that Liam is not becoming more human like he claimed.

A Night Off

Liam leaned back on the couch trying to fight off a severe headache. 'I can't figure out why Da'an would protect Zo'or.' He hated that fact not that his mentor would do that for another living being even Zo'or but the fact he wouldn't tell him why. A small paranoid part of his him wondered if Zo'or knew about him and was using that information to blackmail Da'an. Of course he knew he'd be first in the lab-rat line or being blackmailed by Zo'or directly if the head of the synod knew about him.

Liam heard his global beeping he already knew it was Renee even as he opened it. "What is it Renee?" He asked carefully concealing any annoyance he felt she'd been slightly on edge since their confrontation over his actions when his father was sick. He knew as soon as she mentioned the Cloister what she wanted to talk about. "Can't talking about that Diary wait until later Renee I have allot on my mind."

"Liam Sandoval has to know your in the Resistance now because of that Diary he could turn you in we need to make contingency plans." She said annoyed with his total disregard of the danger. "Just because you've foolishly saved his life before doesn't mean he won't report you to Zo'or."

"What do you mean Foolishly?" Liam said an edge creeping into his voice. "You don't know anything about the reasons why I do things I do." He saw from her face she was sorry but he just couldn't take anymore tonight. "Look Renee just consider me taking the night off we can talk about this more tomorrow." He snapped the global shut and leaned back on the couch.

He heard the global beeping but didn't care enough to answer it. He closed his eyes and soon drifted off to sleep. Only awake a few minute later from a nightmare. He noticed his Shaqarava glowing. 'Damn the stress must be getting to me.' He thought considering rather it would be worth the effort to make them go back to dormancy. 'Wouldn't Renee be surprised if she knew naive little me had snowballed her about my alien abilities.' He knew Doors and even Renee mistook his tendency to see the best in people and taelons for stupidity sometimes. He knew her opinion of him had dropped even more after revealing what he was and choosing to save Sandoval despite the fact it would be better for the resistance if he died. 'Though if they knew some of the things I knew about him they might not believe so.' 

He heard the door opening and turned to see Augur entering a look of concern on his face. "I tried calling." He said with a hint of wariness wondering if Liam was going to tell him to get out since this was the first time he came over unannounced since he betrayed Liam.

Liam glanced over and Augur he could hear the fear in his friends voice under the normal jovial tone that was just a part of Augur. "I decided to take the night off." Liam said with a weak smile. He saw Augur nod and was relieved that Augur understood as the other man set down still wary but less so. "I forgive you Augur." Liam said knowing exactly what it was that scared the other man. 'I mean if I can forgive Sandoval for all he's done I can forgive Augur even if his betrayal hurt worse because I thought he never would.'

Augur noticed the slight reluctance and flash of hurt on Liam's face but didn't have any idea how to reach out to the other man. "Why do you have your global off if you don't mind my asking?" He knew Liam would probably tell him and it would get them away from the awkward conversation they were having.

"Renee won't leave me alone about that diary." He frowned. "If Sandoval wanted me turned into Zo'or he could have done so on suspicion alone and Zo'or would have me killed." He paused for a second. "Despite how much Da'an has shielded me if Zo'or really wanted me gone he could easily have evidence Manufactured that would convince the Synod."

Augur nodded absently he had always figured as much especially after Liam had toned things down. "Why did you tell Renee you were becoming more human?" He saw Liam start. "Liam I'm no expert but DNA doesn't just go away." He saw Liam smirk slightly. "So that lie was for Renee's Benefit?"

"Yes, She would want to use my alien abilities for the resistance if she knew what I could do." He paused. "I choose Humanity Augur so I'm determined to do things as human I don't think she'd understand that." He looked at his hands Augur noticed the marks were back. "These just popped back up because of stress I'll have to get rid of them again before I go to work tomorrow." He shook his head. "It wasn't easy the first time they popped back up."

Augur glanced at Liam wondering exactly when he knew Liam's Shaqarava had disappeared sometime during Operation DarkKnight since that was the last time they had been used but as for their reappearance. "You said you think they came back because of stress maybe you need to relax." 

Liam smiled. "That's an excellent Idea." He paused as he stood up. "One thing I want you to promise me you won't tell anyone about what your going to see." He looked at Augur. "There's a very good reason I've never told anyone about this it's the only way I ever get to visit my mothers grave or take a break from my life." 

Augur nodded. "Don't worry Liam I won't tell anyone." He wondered what Liam was going to do. He nearly fainted in shock as Liam's skin began to ripple as bluegreen lines ran under his skin. 'Is he growing taller?' Augur asked himself staring in shock as the energy seemed to brighten and then finally stop revealing a pale skinned blonde man with green eyes. He stared at the looser hanging clothes and seemed to hang awkwardly because of the few inches of height Liam had gained. "Liam Explain." He said trying to keep his voice level.

"Ha'Gel could replace people." Liam said Augur noticed his voice was an octave or two lower and had a barely noticeable Irish accent. "I can't replace them but I inherited enough of his abilities to shape shift somewhat it's tiring and I knew if I told Doors I'd end up doing infiltration and Assassin jobs." He glanced at Augur. "And before you ask Doors could have forced me he had access to CVI Tech and they'll work on me just as easily as they would on anyone else."

Augur was forced to nod though Doors wouldn't have done it unless it was a last result; he also knew Doors had looked into the option briefly during those early months. "Yes I can see why you never revealed this." He paused. "You've gotten better at controlling your alien heritage haven't you?"

"Yeah." Liam said heading toward his bedroom. "I spent allot of time practicing when you or Lilly were to busy to come out with me." He paused. "After our encounter with Dark Knight I was sick of being pulled in two directions and my Shaqarava went away they showed back up after Lili's death briefly." He paused. "That's when I first managed to make them go dormant intentionally." 

Augur stood there wondering exactly what Liam was doing sometime later he got his answer when Liam emerged the now blonde hair had been spiked roughly and he was dressed in of all things leather pants and a tight black shirt. "Please tell me that's not a real tattoo?" He said gesturing toward Liam's left arm which had a twisting vine of thorns looped around his forearm. 

"It's not it's just more kimera trickery." Liam said with a faint smile. "I do this every so often when I need a break from my life; I wanted to be someone totally different." He paused at the door. "You want to tag along?" 

Augur stared at Liam on one hand his curiosity was killing him he wondered what Liam's definition of cutting loose was, but on the other hand he also wanted to go home to digest all that he'd just been told. He saw the pleading expression on Liam's face and realized he hadn't just been out with the kid since Lili died. "Alright I'll come." 

"Thanks Augur by the way the Id I'm using is Luke tonight it was one of the resistance Throwaways you did for portal transit." He smiled. "I Know it wouldn't stand up to an intense search but it's good enough to get in a club." He decided not to sure why he had chosen to borrow that particular resistance id. 'I doubt Augur would believe that Sandoval used to be a Star Wars nerd in highschool.' He could imagine the Darth Vader want to be jokes if Augur ever did find out. 

Augur was slightly shocked when they arrived at one of the more infamous clubs in the DC Area. "We are going here Liam are you crazy?" He asked as they were approaching the door. Liam mearly smiled and Augur nearly fell out as the Bouncer greeted Luke and said it had been too long. "Exactly how often do you come here Luke?" Augur said switching to the Alias Liam was using since they were within earshot of several people.

"Not very often maybe once or twice ever few months." He paused and turned to look back toward the bouncer. "I guess I made an impression on Charlie when I first came here he's never forgotten my name since then." Augur watched as several regulars seems to come up claiming to remember Luke.

Augur had made his way to the bar and watched amused as people seemed to crowd around Liam. 'Guess this is what happens when the kid stops brushing people off.' Early on at the flat planet Cafe Liam had been approached by women and men constantly until it became clear he wasn't interested. He had noticed that Liam tended to attract people something about him just drew people and when he dropped the slightly cold front people seemed to swarm around him. Augur had to resist the temptation to laugh as Liam shot him an apologetic look as woman in leather drug him out toward the dance floor.

Augur realized exactly how lonely it must have been for Liam when ever he and Lili would leave him alone to talk with someone else in the cafe. He and Lili had just taken it for granted that Liam would accept the invites if he wanted to. "Hey how long has Luke been coming here?" He asked the Bartender as he flagged her over.

"A couple of months he was really upset the first night." She said pausing as she refilled his drink. "I think a family member had just died or something." She watched his face widen in shock. "So you've known Luke a long time?"

"Ever since he was born." Augur said absentmindedly. "You could say I'm almost his big brother." He said turning back to her and he saw her face fall slightly. "What is it?" 

"Are you the one who upset him a few weeks ago?" She asked solemn faced. "I just ask because he normally doesn't leave with anyone unless he's upset and how did he term it once wants to forget about things." She watched his face fall. "So your the one he said he trusted like a brother and double crossed him." 

Augur nodded. "Do you talk to Luke often." He saw her give him a glare and then he turned to see Liam managing to finally wade threw the throng of admirers to join them. "Ah Luke I was just asking this young lady here if you speak with her often?"

"Probably not as often as I should given she works for me." Liam said with a smile watching Augur start. "You said that being diversified was the key to financial success." Liam finally broke out laughing at the stunned look on Augur's face.

Augur spent the rest of the surreal night in the bar talking with the bartender who turned out to be named Mona. While Liam seemed to be in and out as he was constantly approached by people wanting to dance. Augur noticed that Liam rarely said no to any request to dance no matter how outlandish the person asking. "So does Luke really own the bar?"

"Yeah he does my ex used to own it but after his wife who I didn't know about divorced him he had to sell it to pay legal fees." Augur could tell she was still bitter about that. "So anyway I was talking with Luke one day about how the only offer came from a competitor who was going to shut us down." She shook her head laughing slightly. "He asked what they had offered and then went and made a better offer then let me run it." She paused. "I still think he was drunk that night but he keeps insisting that he was sober."

Augur got in relatively early for a night out only slightly after twelve am but as Liam said they both had things to do in the morning. Before he turned in he quickly ran a search on Liam's throwaway id to make Sure Liam wasn't taking undue chances. 'Well well Liam's been busy.' He was surprised to find that Luke's id was almost as comprehensive as the background he did for Liam himself. 'Looks like Liam was paying attention when I did his.'

He ran a few more checks to make sure the kid hadn't left any tell tell signs and then instructed Lorna to begin monitoring this id for any background checks run. 'So what have we learned about Liam tonight.' He asked himself as he was preparing for bed. 'One thing at least is that there is allot more to Liam than what he shows us.' Mulling over that unpleasant realization Augur fell asleep.

Liam arrived back at his loft and checked both the Security system Augur had left him with and the one he had designed himself using some of Renee's nanotech he had borrowed one day. He was a bit annoyed with her when he noticed Renee had stopped by and left a bug to alert her when he got home. He was glad the nanobots were designed to kill any surveillance device left in the apartment. It would have been a real uncomfortable walk if he would have had to resume his true form in these clothes. Slipping inside he stripped off the clothes and assuming his true form headed to take a shower then get to sleep. "Augur seemed a bit freaked out when I dropped him off I should talk to him about things in the morning I guess." Liam said to himself as he looked at himself in the mirror. He could already feel that his Shaqarava were going dormant as he was relaxed for the first time in several days. 

The End.

This was just a pretty much plotless Vignette that I've been writing on and off since before Hybrids was finished. Since I'm suffering Terrible Writers block on Hybrids 2: Unions and since I'm undecided on including Yulyn in Last Days of the Human Race (I'll have to watch Bad Genes first which probably won't air here till next Saturday) I couldn't work on either of those fics so I pulled this out and quickly finished it up so I could at least upload something for EFC this weekend. I may do several of these types of fics that are loosely connected over time. Set in this same AU where Liam lied about becoming more human (which I still don't understand how that happened in the series my only guess is it ties in with the saying about the Shaqarava that it could reshape flesh.)


End file.
